of bridgeport



IRA W. MEAD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 HIMSELF AND EDWINW. HANFORD, OF SAME PLACE...

Letters Patent No.. 79,587, dated July 7, 1868.

IMPBOVEBIENT IN SPIKBDRAWERS.

'ro ALL wHoM 1T MAYv conchas:

Be it known that I, IRA W. MEAD, of the city of, Bridgeport, in thecounty of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Apparatus for Drawing Spikes, Ste.; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction, character, and operation of the same,referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theapparatus, as in the third position for drawing the spike. i

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main lever end-spring.

Figure 3 is a'perspective view of the pinch or lifting-bar, whichreceives andgrasps the spike.

My improvement consists in making a pair of levers, C, which connect themain lever A with the pinch or lifting-bar or stock B, which lever A andlifting-bar B have two or more adjustments, to' suit the height of thehead ofthe spike at any given time, so that by the position and shapeofthe fulcrum I can at any and -all times draw the spike so nearly in avertical line that the spike will remain straight, and in a condition-tobe driven again.

I make the lever substantially inthe form and shape shown in ligs. I and2, and of wrought iron or any other suitable material, with a point, a,to voperate as a' dog for holding, staying, or stoppingthe upright orlifter B, and the part D, tted to serve as a fulcrum on which the leverworks, and with a spring, as b, to throw down the lever C, andconsequently the lifting-har B, so that the point a of the lever A maywork in either of the notches in the lifter B. l

I make the claspinginstrument or lifting-bar B of cast iron or any othersuitable material, substantially in the ferr: or shape shown in fig. 3,and at B, lig. 1, with two or more notches or teeth in its side or edge,as shown at c d e, figs. I and 3, in which, or against which, the pointa ofthe mainv lever A works to draw the spike.

By the operation of this apparatus the spike can be started by a forceequal to any claw-bar, or any othermeans heretofore used; and by the.changes in the notches c d e in the lifting-bar B, the operation willcause the spiketo be drawn nearly in a vertical direction, so as toprevent bending the spike.

In using this apparatus, I pass the space shown at E, figs. 1 and 3, onto the head of the spike, so as to entirely secure and embrace it whileit is in any of the different positions.`

Then, with the point a of the lever A resting in the notch c, tig. 3,and the fulcrum D resting on the tie or any other proper support, I passthe claws, as represented' at E, figs. 1 and 3, on to the head of thespike, so as to grasp it firmly, and press downthe'outer endvof thelever A, whenthe lifter B'will start the spike and carry it upvertically for a short distance. I then change the-point a to the notchd, and operate the lever as before, and so continuejo change the point afrom one notch to another, and operate the lever until the spike iscompletely drawn.

The advantages of my improvement are, that at the beginning, when thepoint a is in the notch c, the purchase or` power is the greatest, asthe claws or sides of the recess at E (which clasp the head of thespike,) are very near the fulcruin D. But after the spike has beenstarted, and the point a changed tothe other notches,

(in their order,) the purchase or power is continually being diminished,and the length of the motion largely increased, so as to expedite thedrawing of the spike: and that by the manner of changing the relativepositions of the parts or points`D and E, the tendency will be, at alltimes,` to draw the spike in so nearly a vertical direction, that itwill remain straight, and fit to be driven again without being strained.

' What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent;is-

The lever A, with the lifter B, the pair of levers C, and the spring b,constructed tooperate substantially as herein described and set forth.

' IRA W. MEAD.

Witnesses:

LYMAN L. Soulan, R. FITZGERALD.

